As more and more scooters are dropped off in cities across the country, the number of injuries, and now deaths, continue to rise. One of the biggest issues is that Lime and Bird riders are prohibited from operating on sidewalks. As a result, customers are forced to operate exclusively on city streets. Further, although these “e-scooter” companies offer to send riders a helmet), most folks do not wear one. These two factors combine to form extremely dangerous circumstances for everyone who hops on these scooters.
In the first of two fatalities this month, a 24-year-old Texas man fell off his scooter and died from blunt force injuries to his head. More recently, in Washington D.C., a rider was killed after being hit by an SUV. First responders had to pull the individual out from the undercarriage of the vehicle.
In addition to the issues discussed above, neither Lime nor Bird provides liability insurance for customers in the event of injury or death. With that in mind, injured riders may be left without any, or at least adequate, compensation for their injuries. We recently addressed these issues and many more that everyone should be aware of before jumping on a Bird or Lime scooter. If you have any questions, or wish to consult with an attorney about injuries you suffered while riding an electric scooter, give us a call.